Nethera (The Waste)
Nethera, also known as The Waste, is a western continent made up of six large countries. Nethera is ground zero for the earliest recorded apocalypse (or First Apocalypse), caused by a large bomb of unknown material and origin. The bomb caused a glass crater that covers a considerable portion of the continent, as well as uninhabitable radiation, which has since dissipated below detectable levels. Because of the uncleared debris and ruins, the difficult terrain, and the lack of flora and fauna, The Waste is considered an uninhabitable zone. However, Nethera is not without life - most of its countries are inhabited by the world's outcasts, such as humans, Furres, and Imps. Because the entire continent (with the exception of the northern-most country) is lawless, it has a high rate of crime. The Waste is also a punishment of sorts, where some courts send their worst criminals to live out the rest of their days. Countries Chillwind Fields Chillwind Fields is the nothernmost country of the uninhabitable zone. It is plagued by subarctic temperatures, and is considered uninhabited. There have been rumors of life in this zone, but such rumors have not been backed up with any evidence. Chillwind Fields is not controlled by any council. The Crystal Basin The Crystal Basin is ground zero for the first human apocalypse. The southern half of the country is made up of one large, glass crater, caused by a bomb of unknown material and origin. There is evidence of prior radioactivity in this area, but geiger counter reads have reported normal levels, indicating that the bomb was dropped long enough ago that the radiation has dissipated entirely. The southern half of the country is largely uninhabited, due to the difficult glass terrain. The northern half, however, is somewhat inhabited with an unreported mix of races. The Far Marsh The Far Marsh is the easternmost country of the Waste, named for its swampy terrain and climate. It is inhabited primarily by reptilian Furres, and exiled Fae, but it is not impossible to find nearly any race here. The Far Marsh is the most densely populated country in the Waste, with small cities built from scrap wood and debris, placed closely together. This is due in part to the deadly creatures that roam the swamp, kept mostly at bay by scrap walls and armed guards in each city. The weather here is slightly more survivable than the western parts of the Waste, with more humidity and precipitation. Ondur Ondur is the northernmost country of Nethera, and the only country in the continent that is ruled by a council. It is ruled by the Cave Elf council; however, Ondur is rarely a topic of concern when discussing politics, as Cave elves and Dragons have established their own pecking order there, and there are no other races there to be concerned with. Cave elves and Dragons also make up its population almost entirely. The cold, mountainous conditions of the country make it uninhabitable to any other race, with Cave elves rarely ever venturing to the icy surface. Shattervale Shattervale is the southernmost country of the continent, inhabited primarily by Furres. It has no council control, but is said to have unofficial 'laws' put in place by a mock government. How these laws and governments are put into place and enforced is unknown. Like the Withered Barrens, Shattervale has many scrap towns. However, reports of crime are fewer, allowing further rebuilding to occur. While Shattervale is certainly lacking in technology or laws, it is considered one of the more civilized countries in the Waste. The climate in Shattervale is extremely hot and dry, with almost no precipitation, making water a rare commodity. The Withered Barrens The Withered Barrens is the westernmost country of Nethera, inhabited by a wide range of races. The country happens to be slightly more populated by humans than any other race; however, they are only in the lead by a very small margin. The Barrens have no council control, and are reigned over by numerous gangs and crime rings. The Withered Barrens have many shanty towns and cities, built from the debris and remnants of the apocalypse. However, most of these towns are overrun with crime, run by violent crime bosses, and have few amenities more useful than the barren wasteland outside of them. Like Shattervale, the majority of the Withered Barrens are very hot and arid, with slightly more precipitation to the north.